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Create a Plate that Makes You Feel Great

How did we survive the plague of the pyramids?

I have been in the nutrition education eld long enough to consider myself a survivor of the Food Pyramids, the diabetes-inducing diagrams from the 1980s and 90s that led people to eat bread by the loaf and low-fat cookies by the bag.

Thank goodness for Michelle Obama and her efforts to create a healthy and easy-to-understand visual aid to illustrate nutritional guidelines.

I had the honor of meeting Michelle Obama with my daughter in 2012. It was a BEAUTIFUL celebration of food and lots of fun. Here is a link to a recipe book that commemorated the event along with a fun picture:

Yes, MyPlate was a huge step in the right direction. MyPlate is a nutritional icon that I’m happy to see on the walls of school lunchrooms. Keeping it simple, here are the key take-aways that Nurture teaches with MyPlate:

Make half of your plate fruits and veggies, with an emphasis on the veggies!

Eat lean protein. My dad (Dr. Bob)’s rule for breakfast applies to every snack and meal throughout the day.

Make your grains whole grains. While MyPlate asks for only half your grains to be whole, I recommend avoiding processed grains whenever possible.

Choose your beverage wisely. You know the saying “You are what you eat.” But our diabetes issues nationally are also very much related to what we drink. Cut out the soda and sugary drinks. Kids should not have more than one cup of fruit juice a day (or better yet, none). And no large sodas, please.Harvard’s Healthy Plate takes MyPlate’s positive momentum a step further. is adaptation of MyPlate highlights water, not dairy, as the beverage of choice. I also appreciate the addition of the healthy oils on the side. There are a few other differences as well, but both are far better than the disastrous food pyramid.

MORE MAGIC: Unlike the pyramid, the plate model is actionable and applicable to meals and everyday life. Engage your creative side by downloading a color-in worksheet of a plate and draw your favorite meal.

An example of this free resource is shown to the left. Color code if you want to take it a step further.

The above is an except from my newly launched book, Make Nutrition Fun. This book has been endorsed by Marci Shimoff, #1 New York Times bestselling author and transformational leader as follows:
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“Who knew nutrition could be so fun? Kathryn Kemp Guylay marries the practical with the hilarious. The result: A healthier and happier you. I loved this book!”

I loved reading this resource of valuable information, useful links and engaging style of story telling from Kathryn Kemp Guylay with regards to the value of eating nutritional foods. Her book encourages the reader to implement healthy habits by providing us with recipes and ideas. There are many bonus interviews…which makes this way more than a regular book. It’s a valuable resource for all who choose to learn more about the reasons for healthy eating and health effects for yourself and your children. Sheena Smith-Author (Life Simply Put), Speaker, Dream Builder Coach

Sidebar – Nutrition

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